How to support your child's mental health

It’s Mental Health Month and we’re here to tell you about a few ways you can help to strengthen your child’s mental health right at home. Things are changing constantly, so you can expect for their emotions to do the same during these unprecedented times.

Here’s how you can help:

Get some fresh air – Getting your child to go outside encourages them to stay active while it also helps to clear their mind. In fact, a walk can do wonders for mental health as it’s proven to reduce anxiety and stress levels, and if done outdoors those results are significantly increased.

Keep open communication – Maintaining an open line of communication with your child is essential for building trust and is a reminder that they have your continued support. Some adolescents may have difficulty discussing certain topics with parents, but knowing that they can could make a huge difference.

Create healthy coping methods – It can be challenging for anyone to learn how to deal with something out of their control, especially for a child. Teach your child different strategies for how to cope through difficult circumstances. Some stress relieving outlets may be a favorite hobby, cooking, reading, arts and crafts or anything that encourages relaxation.

Rest time – Often times we get so wrapped up in our daily routines that we forget when to take a break, or that it’s even necessary. Help your child get into the routine of taking time out to rest to avoid burn out from the busy day to day tasks.

Get plenty of sleep – Catching up on z’s feels great and can definitely be something to look forward to after a long day, but sleep has many other benefits for the body as well. In fact, it’s just as important as the foods we eat. Make sure your child understands the importance of having enough sleep, as it’s essential to building stronger immune systems and greatly reduces stress and anxiety levels.

Monitor outside influences – It’s helpful to get online to see the latest news, but doing so too often at a time like now could have a negative impact on a child. Try to limit those outside influences as much as possible.

Realize when things are off – It can sometimes be hard to determine when unusual behavior in your child actually transitions into something has affected their mental health more seriously. If things do get uncertain for you, know that you have professional resources available that is there to support your family.

Learn more about the two Village Health Partners counselors and schedule an appointment here.